Some of the nation’s best-known comedians will take the stage Sunday in Phoenix in a performance to benefit a Bill of Rights monument planned for Wesley Bolin Plaza. From Phoenix, KJZZ’s Terry Ward reports.
TERRY WARD: Lewis Black, Bobcat Goldthwait, Kathleen Madigan, Tommy Smothers -- these are just some of the comedians donating their time and talent to raise money to fund a monument to the Bill of Rights. Comedian Chris Bliss is spearheading the fundraising effort. He calls the Bill of Rights the granddaddy of all human rights documents.
CHRIS BLISS: This whole idea of human rights is a pretty new idea in the way that we live on this planet. And the Bill of Rights really is the progenitor of all of these things and… we take it for granted.
WARD: Bliss says creating a first-in-the-nation monument to the Bill of Rights plants the seeds of democracy, especially for young people.
BLISS: It makes history visible, tangible and unforgettable. I mean, this is a history lesson in stone for kids and about something they don’t really learn in school anymore. This is the part of Bolin Plaza that every school kid visits when they come for that visit to the State Capitol.
WARD: As envisioned, the tribute to the first 10 amendments to the United States Constitution will resemble Arizona’s natural rock monuments like those in Monument Valley. They will range in height from 7 to 8.5 feet. Sunday’s comedy performance is at Phoenix Symphony Hall with proceeds to benefit the project. There’s more information at mybillofrights.org.